China’s Newest Sphere of Influence

The retreat of U.S. interests from Latin America has left a vacuum for the Chinese to fill.

By

Ilan Berman

Jan. 22, 2015 12:57 pm ET

You have to feel a bit sorry for the Obama administration. The White House in December announced plans to normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba, including establishing a U.S. Embassy in Havana and formally revisiting Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism. The move was a clear effort by Washington to distinguish itself in a new international theater.

But that gambit was soon eclipsed by another: In a meeting that could herald a significant shift in the Western Hemisphere’s balance of power, China hosted a high-profile...